Whatever happened to baby Moon Unit Zappa? | The Independent This Britain Whatever happened to baby Moon Unit Zappa? Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow are calling their daughter Apple, following the celebrity tradition for unusual names. Cahal Milmo reports on how the children cope Sunday 16 May 2004 23:00 BST Click to follow The Independent Online When Frank asked his 12-year-old daughter whether she would like a diaphragm and her own flat to have sex with boys, it was just one more unconventional moment for a child named after an astronomical measurement. Name: Moon Unit (Parents: Frank and Gail Zappa) When Frank asked his 12-year-old daughter whether she would like a diaphragm and her own flat to have sex with boys, it was just one more unconventional moment for a child named after an astronomical measurement. Moon Unit, along with her fellow siblings Ahmet, Diva and Dweezil, was one of the first in the modern era to shoulder the burden of their rock star parents' taste in outlandish monikers.

She is also one of the few who has spoken freely about what she sees as the damaging effects of an alternative 1970s upbringing ranging from a strange name to the freedom to do anything she wished. Speaking after the publication of her first novel four years ago, she said: "In my house, it was a free zone. It was a be-yourself zone. We had slumber parties - but you could have sex in the house if you wanted. "I was offered a diaphragm at age 12, but I didn't know what it was for. In my 20s, I realised not everyone knew what it sounded like when their parents had sex." By the age of 18, Moon Unit was in therapy and has since frequently complained of the problems created by being the offspring of a famous mother or father. Psychotherapists say one of the most common problems for these children is coping with the expectation that they have the same talent and personality as their celebrity parent. Moon Unit said: "Professionally, having a famous dad has been nightmarish - a total hindrance. Because there's an association with my family.

People think I'm wacky and they already think that before I walk in the room. "I didn't have any motivation and the result was misery," she said. "I spent hours locked away in my room. I was a complete hermit. "I really wanted to be a nun, but I'd already had sex and I hadn't been raised with any religion, so I knew that was out of the question. The problem was that my parents didn't even notice." Now aged 36, Moon Unit - who prefers to be called Moon - is a successful actress, comedian, sculptor and writer. She lives in Los Angeles. Her husband, musician Paul Doucette, said: "Her name has been part of pop culture ever since she was born. It was a news story when she was born that this crazy rock star guy named his kid Moon Unit. She is used to it. She has had it her whole life." Name: Zowie (Parents: David and Angie Bowie) Despite his pedigree in rebellion, Zowie Bowie, the eldest son of rock legend David and his first wife Angie, wasted little time in consigning to history the rock'n'roll name given to him at his birth in 1971.

While at Gordonstoun, the Scottish public school attended by Prince Charles, Bowie Junior had changed his first name to Joe. Zowie, Bowie experts say, is the male version of Zoe, derived from the Greek for life. After Zowie's birth, his father, then known as the flame-haired Ziggy Stardust, wrote a song dedicated to him called "Kooks". Not content with escaping his father's taste for rhyming names, Joe also reverted to the original family surname of Jones. Apparently revelling in his anonymity as Joe Jones, he gained seven O Levels at Gordonstoun before taking A levels in London and doing a degree in philosophy at Ohio. Jones reportedly had ambitions to become an academic. But he has since pursued more creative avenues. Three years ago, residents of Clerkenwell, north London, found themselves sharing their area with a young student sporting a sheepskin jacket, a wispy beard and the name Duncan Jones. It was Zowie (aka Joe, aka Duncan) who had moved to London from Manhattan to follow a three-year course at the International Film School in Covent Garden.

Name: Rolan Bolan (Parents: Marc Bolan (and Gloria Jones) His father was the androgynous permed icon of glam rock and proto-punk whose life was cut short by a tree on Barnes Common at the age of 29. When Marc Bolan, the lead singer of T Rex, died in that car crash in 1977, his son, Rolan, was not yet two years old. Unsurprisingly, he has few memories of his father. But Rolan's life has in many ways been shaped by the man who, according to rock legend, chose his son's alliterative as part of a pact with David Bowie when he called his child Zowie. Unlike Zowie, Rolan saw no reason to baulk at his comedic name. "It gave me a sense of humour," he says. "If people laughed, I laughed with them. It was the name my dad gave me and it will do for me." It is not a name that gave Rolan access to his father's millions, though.

Due to an overseas trust fund set up by Marc Bolan before he met Rolan's mother, Gloria Jones, who was driving the Mini in which the pop star died, his son has been denied the royalties from hits such as "Life's An Elevator" or "20th Century Boy". Rolan, now 29, has vowed to try to unravel the trust, saying he wants to "protect my father's memory in a dignified way". But he has also insisted he wants to make his own way in life. Rolan was raised in his mother's native California and did not see any footage of his father until he was 18. "I remember spending my second birthday in the hospital with mum and, although nobody said 'your dad's dead', somehow I just seemed to know," he said four years ago. Despite his mother's reluctance to buy him a guitar as child, Rolan has ended up as a musician after periods as a jewellery store worker and a model for Tommy Hilfiger.

Name: Fifi Trixibelle (Parents: Bob Geldof and Paula Yates) As one quarter of perhaps the four most exotically named siblings of recent times, the eldest daughter of Bob Geldof and Paula Yates has often found herself the subject of sly derision for her name and, since her mother's death, mawkish sympathy. Along with her sisters, Peaches Honeyblossom and Pixie, and her half-sister Heavenly Hiraani Tiger Lily (the daughter of Ms Yates and INXS singer Michael Hutchence), Fifi's childhood was played out against a backdrop of a bitter divorce and her mother's struggle with drugs and eventual suicide in 2000. Ms Yates is said to have chosen her daughters' ethereal names as part of her desire to give them the sort of fairytale upbringing that she would have craved for herself. Sadly, it was a wish that has not been reflected in reality. When Fifi found herself arrested for being drunk and incapable after a marathon drinking session two years ago, parts of the media eagerly leapt upon her embarrassment as proof of yet another celebrity wild child driven off the rails by parental fame and tragedy.

In a magazine interview in 2001, Sir Bob described Fifi as a "great companion, fantastic fun, a gorgeous girl, though the most like in me in that she can also be uncooperative and surly. She walks like me, scowls at people like I do, is iconoclastic to a fault." According to those who know her, Fifi, 21, is a remarkably level-headed, if occasionally boisterous, young woman despite her difficult childhood. Her parents' marriage dissolved into a public slanging match when she was 12. She attended Bedgebury, the £5,000-a-term private school in Kent, and later taught in a progressive Montessori school. She has since dedicated herself to a cosy family existence - albeit with a few appearances on London's party circuit. Name: China 'god' Slick (Parents: Grace Slick and Paul Kantner) When Grace Slick, the lead singer of 1970s band Jefferson Airplane, was asked by a nurse for the name of her newborn daughter, her answer was: "god. We spell it with a small 'g' because we want her to be humble." It was a joke.

Instead, she merely named her child after the world's most populous country. Name: Brooklyn Beckham (Parents: David and Victoria Beckham) Brooklyn, now five, was named after the New York borough where he was conceived. News that Posh was pregnant in 2002 sparked speculation that they would choose another name by geography. But when asked why Romeo, David said: "It's just a name we love." Names: Daisy Boo Oliver (Parents: Jamie and Jools Oliver) Jamie Oliver proved that strange names were not the unique preserve of pop stars and footballers when he announced the birth of his second child last year. The celebrity chef, whose first daughter is called Poppy Honey, explained that Boo was in fact the nickname of his wife, Jools. Name: Dandelion Pallenberg (Parents: Anita Pallenberg and Keith Richards) The daughter of Rolling Stones' paramour Anita Pallenberg and guitarist Keith Richards was born into a relationship which declined into heroin. Dandelion later changed her name to Angela, became teetotal and married a joiner.

Name: Tallulah Willis (Parents: Bruce Willis and Demi Moore) Demi Moore and Bruce Willis named their first two daughters Rumer, an early 20th-century English novelist, and Scout, the narrator in To Kill a Mockingbird). They were due to name the third after blues musician Muddy Walters but changed their minds to call her Tallulah after the moll in Bugsy Malone). Name: Elijah Bob Patricius Guggi Q Hewson (Parents: Bono and Ali Hewson) The U2 singer Bono's third child was nameless for five days before his six-barrelled monicker was revealed. The Q refers to Quincy Jones, a friend of Bono, while Guggi comes from a member of the Virgin Prunes. More about: Celebrity baby names top 20 - the crazy list - Kidspot more Baby names >> Celebrity baby names top 20 - the crazy list Celebrities love to stand out in the crowd, so when it comes to naming their offspring, only the most ‘out there’ name will do. From Apple to Audio Science check out Kidspot’s top 20 crazy celebrity baby names.

Wacko baby name #1 Pilot Inspektor Son of Jason Lee My Name is Earl actor, Jason Lee is hilarious on screen, especially in the Kevin Smith movies, but when we heard he named his son Pilot Inspektor, (yes, spelt with a K) we stopped laughing. Why “Pilot?” Because he heard a song by the band Grandaddy called ‘He’s Simple, He’s Dumb, He’s the Pilot’. Um, yeah. Congrats Jason, you’ve made it to number one on our crazy celeb baby name list! We’re sure little Pilot is proud. Wacko baby name #2 Egypt Son Alicia Keys Singer Alicia Keys and her music producer husband, Swizz Beatz (real name Kasseem Dean), had son Egypt. Egypt is Keys’ first child, while Beatz has two sons, Kasseem Jr. and Prince, and a daughter, Nicole, from previous relationships. Poor Egypt will go through life having to explain his name to everyone he meets. “Yes, that’s the right spelling.

E-g-y-p-t, as in the country.” Wacko baby name #3 Audio Science Son of Actress Shannyn Sossamon Although Shannyn Sossamon barely qualifies as a celebrity, her exceptionally bizarre baby name makes this list. On her trippy name choice she explains: “We wanted a word not a name, so my boyfriend read through the dictionary three or four times. We were going to call him Science, but thought it might get shortened to Sci, as in Simon.” And that would’ve been a bad name? Wacko baby name #4 Ocean Son of Forest Whitaker The last King of Scotland actor called his son Ocean and daughter True because “I want those names to be their destiny, for my daughter to be honest and my son to be expansive. I try to be like a forest, revitalizing and constantly growing.” Imagine Forest disciplining his son? “Now, Ocean, go to your room and think about what you’ve done!” “Ocean, stop annoying True!” Wacko baby name #5 Buddy Bear Son of Jamie and Jools Oliver Famous for their quirky baby names, celebrity chef Jamie Oliver and his wife Jools, recently welcomed their fourth child and first son, Buddy Bear, into the world.

Little Buddy is brother to Poppy Honey, Daisy Boo and Blossom Rainbow. According to Jamie, Jools is responsible for coming up with the kids’ kooky names. “Jools is definitely in charge of the names,” he told TV host Sharon Osbourne, adding; “we’re probably quite lucky it was a boy really, because we were out of names [for] girls.” Wacko baby name #6 Blue Angel Daughter of The Edge (From U2) If U2′s lead guitarist, the Edge, had just left it at ‘Angel’, he could have given his daughter a slightly out there but almost normal name. But nope. Poor Blue. Wacko baby name #7 Princess Tiaamii Daughter of Katie (Jordon) Price and Peter Andre Jordon always loved the name Princess, but Pete wanted to name their first daughter after his and Katie’s mothers. The solution? Merge both names together -Tiaamii – pronounced tee-ah-me – is a fusion of Pete’s mother Thea’s and Jordan’s mum, Amy’s, names. We wonder if either parent is having second thoughts after the divorce?

Wacko baby name #8 Apple Daughter of Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin Apple is old news now, but when the world first heard of Gwyneth and her Coldplay frontman hubby naming their daughter after a fruit, it went into shock and disbelief. Gwen was even asked to explain the name choice on Oprah. Her exact words: “Right, well, um, basically it was because when we were first pregnant, her daddy said, if it’s, basically one day he just said if it’s a girl I think her name should be Apple. And I just, it sounded so sweet, and it conjures such a lovely picture for me, you know apples are so sweet and they’re wholesome, and it’s biblical and it’s just, they’re so, and I just thought it sounded so lovely and …” Obviously, Gwyneth has no clue why she named her kid Apple, either. Wacko baby name #9 Sage Moonblood Son of Sylvester Stallone Middle names are a little dispensable but next to Sage, this one makes the cut as one of the craziest celeb baby names ever. Why blood?

We think Sage Moon would have been quite lovely on its own… Wacko baby name #10 Kyd Miller Duchovny Son of David Duchovny and Tea Leoni X-Files star David Duchovny and actress Tea Leoni chose to name their kid: Kyd Miller Duchovny. Kyd gets “Miller” these days. Maybe David and Tea rethought it when they called out his name one day at the park and every child turned around? Wacko baby name #11 Maddox Son of Angelina Jolie (and Brad Pitt) The entire Jolie-Pitt clan could be included in this list (Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, Knox, but maybe not Vivienne – the only normal name out of the lot), but we decided Maddox was the coolest. Notice how all the Jolie-Pitt boy’s names end in x? Wacko baby name #12 Bluebell Madonna Daughter of Geri Halliwell Ginger Spice decided to spice things up when she named her daughter Bluebell Madonna.

“What really clinched it for me was my mother telling me that the bluebell is increasingly rare – so it’s a precious flower, which seems just right for my daughter,” says Geri. Her daughter’s middle name is a tribute to two of Geri’s heroines – the Virgin Madonna and pop singer Madonna. Wacko baby name #13 Moon Unit Daughter of Frank Zappa Along with siblings Dweezil, Ahmet and Diva Muffin, Moon Unit Zappa, daughter of legendary musician Frank Zappa has used her, ahem, ‘unusual’, name to her advantage. She’s now all grown up and has released an album aptly titled “My Mother Is a Space Cadet”. Wacko baby name #14 Prince Michael II and Blanket Son of Michael Jackson The late prince of pop named his first child (conceived, somehow) Prince Michael Jackson. Then in 2002, along came another boy. Fresh out of baby name ideas, Wacko Jacko decided to call him Prince Michael II. As if that’s not bad enough, he then gave poor little Michael II the unfortunate nickname ‘Blanket’.

Wacko baby name #15 Coco Daughter of Courtney Cox and David Arquette Courtney and David were originally going to name their baby girl after her mum, Courtney Cox Arquette, but this went against David’s Jewish traditions, so they named her Coco instead after a nickname Courtney used to have. At least she didn’t get Coxy! Wacko baby name #16 Moxie CrimeFighter Daughter of Penn Jillette When comedian Penn Jillette gave his daughter this cool but cruel middle name, he said “we chose her middle name because when she’s pulled over for speeding she can say, ‘But officer, we’re on the same side. My middle name is CrimeFighter.’” Err, whatever. Wacko baby name #17 Heavenly Hiraani Tiger Lily Daughter of Paula Yates and Michael Hutchence Like her half sisters Fifi Trixibelle, Peaches Honeyblossom and Little Pixie, Heavenly Hiraani Tiger Lily, the love child of Paula Yates and Michael Hutchence has one peculiar name. And the story behind it doesn’t explain it either. Apparently Pixie chose the name Heavenly, Hutchence chose Hiraani, and Yates chose Tiger Lily. So there you have it.

Wacko baby name #18 Sunday Rose Daughter of Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban On its own Sunday is cute, but as soon as Keith and Nicole chose Rose as a middle name, they invited catty journalists to (intentionally) and little old ladies to (accidently) slip up and call their pride and joy Sunday Roast. On Oprah Nicole explained why she chose to name her daughter after a day of the week: “Sunday, that’s our favourite day. Because I think there’s something to do with Sundays where, if you’re lonely, Sundays are a very lonely day. And if you’re happy and you’ve got your family and the things around you, then Sunday’s a beautiful day. So our baby’s called Sunday.” Wacko baby name #19 Sparrow James Midnight Son of Nicole Richie and Joel Madden Oh Nicole, she blessed her daughter with the most divine name ever (Harlow) and then cursed her son for life by naming him after a bird. When asked to explain the weird name choice in People magazine, Richie said: “Sparrow was one we both liked.

I liked the way it sounded with Harlow, and there’s the Captain Jack Sparrow connection.” Yes, she really does mean the flamboyant pirate played by Johnny Depp in Pirates of the Caribbean! Wacko baby name #20 Tu Morrow Son of Rob Morrow (from the TV show Numbers) After reading this list you’ll have discovered that celebs love hippy, joke and downright bizarre names for their babies, but this one is something else altogether… the pun name. Get it? Last name Morrow, first name Tu. Hmmm. from Frank Zappa - Biography - IMDb Frank Zappa Biography Showing all 63 items Jump to: Overview (4) | Mini Bio (1) | Spouse (2) | Trade Mark (3) | Trivia (33) | Personal Quotes (20) Overview (4) 6' (1.83 m) Mini Bio (1) Of all the qualities that typified Frank Zappa, perhaps the most striking is that he was a paradox.

A workaholic perfectionist rock star who eschewed the hippie culture of the 1960s, deploring its conformism, spurious ideals and drug use, Zappa was not only a brilliant rock guitarist but an orchestral composer, innovative filmmaker, music producer, businessman, iconoclast and perceptive political and social commentator. His oeuvre continually amazes: over 60 albums of music from rock to orchestral, in addition to innumerable films, concerts and other accomplishments. Frank Vincent Zappa (b. 21 Dec 1940, Baltimore, MD) began to play drums at the age of 12, and was playing in R&B groups by high school, switching to guitar at 18. After barely graduating from high school, and then dropping out of junior college (where he met his first wife, Kay Sherman), Zappa worked at such jobs as window dresser, copywriter and door-to-door sales,an.

With the money he earned from scoring Run Home, Slow (1965) (written by his high school English teacher, Don Cerveris ), Zappa purchased a recording studio and, after concocting an allegedly obscene recording for an undercover policeman, spent ten days in jail. Zappa's diverse range of albums (both with the seminal and protean groups The Mothers of Invention and Zappa; as well as solo releases) are renowned not only for their bravura musicianship and satire, but for offending various groups (usually conservatives, both religious and political). The 200 Motels (1971) soundtrack was deemed too offensive by the Royal Albert Hall, which canceled scheduled concerts in 1975; and the song "Jewish Princess" (1979) led to Jewish calls for Zappa to apologize. These, and such events as Zappa testifying before Congress in 1985 against rock music censorship, being appointed by Czech president Václav Havel as his Cultural Liaison Officer or considering running for US president, have unfortunately been Zappa's only real source of mainstream publicity.

Diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1991, Zappa nonetheless continued working at his Hollywood Hills home, until his death on 4 December 1993. His widow, Gail, and children Dweezil Zappa , Moon Unit Zappa , Ahmet Zappa and Diva Zappa , soon released a statement to the press that simply stated: "Composer Frank Zappa left for his final tour just before 6pm Saturday." Dark and sarcastic sense of humour Long guitar solos Trivia (33) When marrying Gail Zappa in a civil ceremony, he attached a pin that said "Congratulations from Mayor Lindsay" onto her in lieu of a ring. John V. Lindsay was mayor of New York City at the time. Was school friends with Don Van Vliet (later to be known as Captain Beefheart). Is known affectionately by his fans as FZ. Has an enormous following in the former Communist countries of eastern Europe. In July 1994, the International Astronomical Union named a Czech-discovered asteroid "Zappafrank".

Father of Diva Zappa , Moon Unit Zappa , Dweezil Zappa and Ahmet Zappa As a child, his favorite television program was Robert Clampett 's puppet show Time for Beany (1949). The small town of Bad Doberan, Germany, holds an annual Zappanale festival, celebrating his life and music (first held in 1990). His father, Francis Vincent Zappa, was born in Partinico, Sicily, and his mother, Rose Marie (Colimore), was born in Baltimore, Maryland, to Italian parents. Following his death, he was interred in an unmarked grave next to Lew Ayres at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles, California. In 1995, a group of Lithuanian artists erected the world's first Zappa statue in Vilnius, the capital. Since then one has been erected in Bad Doberan, Germany (which Gail Zappa says does not look like him), and another (a copy of the bust in Vilnius) in Baltimore, Maryland.

In recent years, various reworkings of his songs have been recorded, including versions in Baroque instrumental and a cappella vocal stylings. Inducted into the Jazz Hall of Fame in 1994 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995. Zappa is the first, and so far only, artist to be inducted into both the Jazz and Rock and Roll Halls of Fame. In March of 2003 his 1979 album "Joe's Garage" came 20th in Classic Rock Magazine's list of the 30 greatest concept albums of all time. Gave up his driver's license voluntarily, because he hated standing in line at the DMV. Wrote his own copyright notice, that appeared on his later records, and was the first to specifically mention sampling. Also released the first 3-inch CD single, with a remix of "Peaches En Regalia", in the late 1980s. Used a wah-wah with his onstage guitar setup, which he had usually leave set in one position as a filter, rather than rock it to get the wah effect.

Bought a small recording studio with the proceeds of his score for Run Home, Slow (1965); first came to public attention when he was arrested in a scandal involving the studio (he was later cleared). Started out playing drums in his teens, then adopted his brother's f-hole acoustic guitar, trying to copy horn and guitar solos on blues and jazz records. Later studied Music Theory in college. Included a warning-cum-guarantee on his late-1980s albums, deriding the Religious Right's attack on rock and pop music, and censorship in general, and concluding "If there is a Hell, its fires wait for them, not us.". He was voted the 21st Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Artists of all time by Rolling Stone. During his last days, he wanted to make a movie called "Dwell". "Dwell" would have been a musical about a giant spider, but from the spider's point of view. He was going to make it with the people from Mystery Science Theater 3000 (1988), and had several conversations with Kevin Murphy . Gene Simmons visited with the Zappa family at their home, socializing, some time before Zappa's death.

During their visit, Zappa showed him something that proved how prolific Zappa was: hundreds of master tapes of unreleased music. Zappa sponsored Hagstrom guitars early in his career. However, on his first three albums with The Mothers of Invention , he used a Gibson ES-5 Switchmaster. During the mid to late 1970s, he played a highly modified Gibson SG clone. He had one of Jimi Hendrix 's guitars which was lit on fire by Jimi at the 1968 Miami Pop Festival. "Cured" his kids of sibling rivalry by making a tape of them squabbling, then forcing them to listen to said tape while handcuffed together in the bathroom; this was to show them how dumb they sounded when bickering. Despite his prostate cancer, Zappa continued to smoke. He told an interviewer he considered cigarettes to be "food", tobacco his favorite vegetable and did not believe cigarettes caused the reported health problems. In an interview prior to his death, Zappa revealed he had had urination problems for years but that the prostate cancer wasn't caught until it was inoperable. He hinted this made him extremely bitter and advised others with urination problems to get multiple opinions.

Did not like being called "rock legend" and considered it a "pathetic" term. Also did not like being called a "test pilot pushing the edge" since he felt the term sounded too military. As far as being called an "eccentric genius", Zappa said in an interview prior to his death, "Eccentric, yes. Genius, maybe.". Founded Barking Pumpkin Records in 1981. He also founded Zappa Records, Barfko-Swill [mail order distribution] and DiscReet (record company). Zappa family drama: A look at where Moon Unit, Dweezil, Ahmet and Diva are today - LA Times Zappa family drama: A look at where Moon Unit, Dweezil, Ahmet and Diva are today Ahmet Zappa Robert Gauthier / Los Angleles Times Ahmet Zappa in his parents' old office at the Zappa family compound in Laurel Canyon. Ahmet Zappa in his parents' old office at the Zappa family compound in Laurel Canyon.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angleles Times) By Randall Roberts Frank Zappa’s rich musical and cultural legacy, and which children have a right to profit off it, have recently become the subject of a public and contentious family battle . The children of Frank and Gail Zappa – Moon Unit, Dweezil, Ahmet and Diva – were left unequal shares of the Zappa Family Trust, which owns the rights to a massive trove of music and other creative output by the songwriter, filmmaker and producer — more than 60 albums were released during Zappa’s lifetime and 40 posthumously. Thanks to a decision by their mother, who died in 2015, Ahmet, 42, and his younger sister, Diva, 36, share control of the trust — to the dismay and anger of their two older siblings, Dweezil, 46, and Moon, 48, who received smaller portions.

But each inherited equal levels of their father’s independent spirit, a sensibility that is seeing renewed attention due to the arrival of the documentary “Eat That Question: Frank Zappa in His Own Words.” Below is a look at what the Zappa kids are up to now. Moon Unit Zappa Moon Unit Zappa (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) The eldest Zappa child is arguably the most well-known, due in large part to her teenage star turn on “Valley Girl.” The song, a collaboration between father and daughter that appeared on Frank’s 1982 album “Ship Arriving Too Late to Save a Drowning Witch,” poked fun at the California Valleyspeak dialect unique to teenage girls in the San Fernando Valley at the time. In the intervening decades, Moon has continued to live a creative life, appearing on such TV series as “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “Grey’s Anatomy” and “How I Met Your Mother.” More recently, she voiced a character on the Fox’s animated show “High School USA!” Moon writes for film and television, does stand-up comedy and recently held a storytelling show in Portland, Ore. The artist is also very involved in yoga.

During a recent conversation, Moon (who considers “Unit” to be her middle name) said that she had wanted to help spread the word about her father’s work and legacy but that Gail had mostly declined her ideas. She noted this was not a family fight over money or unfair proportions, recently tweeting, “This is about having to ask permission for use on OUR last name & creative exclusion.” “There were so many times that I had gone to her. I had suggested a biopic and a documentary. I had lined up all these elements,” said Moon, adding that she also pitched a family reality show and a curated album of Frank’s music designed with teenage girls in mind. “Every single idea I brought to her, she shot down.” Moon said she loved “Eat That Question,” the new documentary about her father, calling it “such a universal story about following your calling, and how that road is not an easy road.

It requires a kind of stamina and dedication, and that’s a great story, whether you’re a fan of that music or not.” At the top of Moon’s creative to-do list is a project sure to excite fans of Zappa and Los Angeles culture: “I'm working on a book about growing up in my crazy house.” Don’t expect her to pull any punches. Dweezil Zappa Dweezil Zappa (Francine Orr/ Los Angeles Times) The oldest son, perhaps best known to the public as an MTV VJ in the 1980s, is the most musically focused of the four kids. It’s Dweezil’s beef with the trust that first drew press attention to the behind-the-scenes drama surrounding use of the Zappa name. Specifically, the trust is trying to prevent Dweezil from touring as either Zappa Plays Zappa or Dweezil Zappa Plays Frank Zappa, citing trademark violations. Until the tussle is settled, Dweezil will be touring under his own name, and he has dubbed that sojourn the Cease and Desist tour.

He and his band will be performing his father’s work, with particular attention paid to songs from the Mothers of Invention’s “Freak Out!,” which this week celebrated its 50th anniversary. I, of all the people in the family, spent time with him doing something because we had it in common -- guitar [and] music. — Dweezil Zappa said of his father Dweezil takes his job as Frank’s musical ambassador seriously. “My concern is to just be able to continue to enjoy the music, live within the music, play the music, and express that and allow new people to discover that in a live situation,” he said. “I, of all the people in the family, spent time with him doing something because we had it in common -- guitar [and] music.” In addition to playing his father’s music, the skilled guitarist has landed guest appearances over the years with such artists as Winger, Pat Boone, Spinal Tap (lead guitar on “Break Like the Wind”), Weird Al Yankovic and the Dixie Dregs. Last year, Dweezil released his first solo album in nine years, “Via Zammata,” featuring work that mixes rock, jazz and funk.

The album’s highlights include the mesmerizing instrumental “Truth,” the jangly, Beatles-esque pop of “Just the Way She Is” and a Zappa-inspired experiment called “ Malkovich ,” which features vocals by John Malkovich. Dweezil Zappa begins his Cease and Desist tour in El Prado, N.M., on July 1. Ahmet Zappa Ahmet Zappa (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) Ahmet has taken charge of day-to-day operations of the Zappa Family Trust. Although those responsibilities are myriad and include running its record labels, advancing Frank’s legacy and protecting his copyrights, Ahmet views his main role as serving the will of the fans and “for people to make the connection to my father's entire body of work.” Running the trust is “totally in my wheelhouse,” he said during a recent conversation at the Zappa compound. In his professional career, he’s run a division of Disney called Kingdom Comics and, with his wife, Shana Muldoon Zappa, created the Disney-owned brand Star Darlings, which is centered on empowering tween girls. Star Darlings merchandise includes books and dolls and is available at Wal-Mart, Target and other big-box stores.

What's great about Frank is that he really is the person guiding things, because he said it, he played it, he shot it. He really is the moral compass. — Ahmet Zappa Said Ahmet, “I always wanted to be a storyteller. That makes me the happiest – storytelling in any medium.” He added that when it comes to his philosophy on matters of the trust, he need only refer to his father’s blueprint. “What's great about Frank is that he really is the person guiding things, because he said it, he played it, he shot it. He really is the moral compass.” Describing his father as “a complicated person” and an amazing musician, Ahmet said that one of his jobs as trustee was to convey the sheer breadth of Frank’s compositional skills. “One thing that I want people to understand, which I think is underdeveloped, is the focus of him as a modern-day composer. His orchestral pieces, that aspect of his life -- more and more people want to play that music, which makes me so happy.” Ahmet added that while his dad provided posthumous guidance, he learned how to run the business by looking to his mom.

Citing “what my mother endured, and her business mind, and her creativity,” he said, “It's pretty cool to be more like Gail Zappa.” Diva Zappa Diva Zappa (Twitter) The youngest Zappa child is also the most press-shy. Speaking on the phone from London earlier in the month, Diva had just returned from Prague, where the Czech National Symphony Orchestra had performed an evening of her father’s music. She said that one of her primary roles in the trust is to be present when her father's work is highlighted. “What do I think my responsibility is? To show up and be open,” she said. “Experience everything. Show up and see what happens and try to do the best I can in every situation for the good of everyone in my family. And that’s including future generations. Everything we do is really to take care of all of us.” Aside from her role in ensuring Frank’s legacy, Diva is a visual artist and fashion designer who works with knitwear. "When I knit, I never know what will happen,” Diva told the British newspaper the Independent in 2011.

“I am inspired by all that is around me, light, trees, leaves, colours, breath, sounds, sparks, magic, beauty, frustration, heat, love, coffee, humour, feathers, shadows, smells... everything. It all gets in there somehow." The designer’s work appeared on the Grammy red carpet in 2009 when Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo’s wife, Chloe, wore a Diva dress. Diva is currently at work on a scarf, but not just any scarf. “ Emilio the Scarf ” is a project with its own Twitter handle. Described on the profile page as “a magical piece of art,” the scarf promises that “one day I will be 5,280 feet long.” ALSO The top 10 bizarre children names of celebrities - People - Entertainment The top 10 bizarre children names of celebrities Moon Unit Zappa. Photo: Brendan Esposito Frank Zappa's daughter Moon Unit has topped a list of celebrity offspring with the most bizarre names, according to an online poll published today. Another of the late US singer-songwriter's four children - Dweezil - also makes the top 10 at No.

7, but there are no mentions of his two other children: Ahmed Emuukha Rodan and Diva Muffin. Moon Unit Zappa won out ahead of Apple, daughter of Coldplay frontman Chris Martin and Hollywood actress Gwyneth Paltrow. Behind them followed Misty Kyd, Texas singer Sharleen Spiteri's daughter; Geronimo, Blur bass guitarist Alex James's son; and Heavenly Hirani Tiger Lily, the only daughter of the late INXS star Michael Hutchence and Paula Yates. The survey of 2300 people - carried out by online entertainment site getLIVE.co.uk - found the names of Michael Jackson's children, Prince Michael and Prince Michael II, were not "wacko" enough for the top 10. "Rock stars have always been known for their outrageous living," said the website's international new media vice-president, Mark Yovich.

"But no amount of sex, drugs and debauchery can ever be as bad as naming your offspring a peculiar name that they have to live with for the rest of their life." Asked once why he gave his children such unusual names, Zappa reputedly said simply: "Because I wanted to." He also considered "Zappa" might be more of a problem than their unconventional first names.

The top 10 is: 1 Moon Unit - Frank Zappa 2 Apple - Chris Martin/Gwyneth Paltrow 3 Misty Kyd - Sharleen Spiteri 4 Geronimo - Alex James 5 Heavenly Hirani Tiger Lily - Michael Hutchence/Paula Yates 6 Dandelion - Keith Richards (Rolling Stones) 7 Dweezil - Frank Zappa 8 Elijah Bob Patricius Guggi Q - Bono (U2) 9 Zowie Bowie - David Bowie 10 Rufus Tiger - Roger Taylor (Queen) AFP 10 Celebrities Who Named Their Children When They Were High - PopCrunch 10 Celebrities Who Named Their Children When They Were High by Julian March 17, 2010 39 Maybe they really were high at the time, or maybe they simply held too high an opinion of themselves: the sort of arrogance that leads people to believe they’re above messing up the lives of their children – that the little celebrity mini-me’s couldn’t possibly have their school years ruined by an unrelenting barrage of insults and bullying. And all because of a name. A stupid, goddamn name. Mom? Dad?

I don’t care how many lousy films you made or embarrassing albums you recorded. How could you have done this to me? 10. Apple born of Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin No, this name didn’t come to fruition due to a love affair – or marketing deal – with iphones or Macs. Apparently, Gwyneth Paltrow and shoe gazing lead singer of Coldplay, Chris Martin named their daughter Apple purely by chance or because apples are whole, sweet and crisp. Yeah, when they’re not bad, rotten to the core, basically well past their sell-by-date. A bit like daddy’s albums. Fifi Trixibelle born of Bob Geldof and Paula Yates Any couple that names their other kids Peaches Honeyblossom and Little Pixie are unlikely to have blessed their firstborn with a less freakish moniker. Fifi Trixibelle is said to have been named after celebrity activist onetime pop star dad Bob Geldof’s beloved aunt Fifi, with the Trixibelle bit coming about due to mom Paula Yates’ fascination with southern belles. That’s no excuse though. It still comes out sounding like the podium call at a dog show.

They should have tried Fido Snoopy Lassie. Pedigree naming. Moon Unit born of Frank Zappa Frank Zappa was a legend, no doubt about it, but those same liberally consumed substances that one would assume oiled the wheels of his experimental musical output may have also helped him dream up some damn strange names for his kids. The father of Dweezil and Diva Thin Muffin Pigeen first procreated a girl he named Moon Unit. Yep, barely visible through the herbal haze of the 70s, Zappa was the daddy of the crazy celebrity naming brigade, and Moon Unit set the tone for doped out generations to come. Monsanto Lobbyist Dr. Patrick Moore Says Weed Killer Is Safe To Drink; Refuses A Glass Jermajesty born of Jermaine Jackson This is our personal favorite. Whatever white powder it is that feeds the ego and takes it to new and unheard of levels of self-glorifying idiocy, Jermaine Jackson and partner Alejandra Genevieve Oaziaza (previously married to Jermaine’s brother Randy) must’ve been on it in copious quantities.

Seriously, though, the ex-Jackson Five star is a guy who has said he ‘sees people’ from the 1800s if he sleeps with the lights off, so he’s obviously one sandwich short of a picnic. Yes Jermajesty. Hilarious. Memphis Eve born of Bono Perhaps it’s small wonder that a self-absorbed rock star who named himself after a hearing aid retailer, Bono Vox, should give his daughter a similarly stupid name like Memphis Eve. As if in competition with his band mate The Edge – who named his own progeny Blue Angel – Bono went all weird with the naming of his own child. Was the baby conceived of an evening in Memphis? We hope so, otherwise someone should tell the U2 front man there’s no such thing as Memphis Day. Prince Michael II born of Michael Jackson We know it’s not really the done thing to speak ill of the dead, but someone – even a dead someone – who names their miraculously conceived offspring after themselves while adding the cheesiest of royal titles must have been a bit nuts in the head. Oh wait, that’s exactly what the King of Pop was. Freaking nuts.

Prince Michael II was also given the nickname Blanket, a word that in this context somehow seems a little too cuddly. Rocket born of Robert Rodriguez Father to children who go by the names of Racer, Rebel, Rogue and, best of all, Rocket, Robert Rodriguez is evidently a film maker keen to preserve the really quite relentlessly repetitious alliterative qualities of his own name in his bloodline. And to do so while conjuring a host of boyishly action-packed images – much like the Sin City director’s films. Superbowl Hotties: Arizona vs. Pittsburgh Sage Moonblood born of Sylvester Stallone This here’s a classic from Sylvester ‘don’t push me’ Stallone and his first wife Sasha Czack from the Rambo star’s pre-puffed up plastic surgery face days in the 80s. Also parent to one Seargeoh, Sly, who went on to write the script for Rocky, appears to have named his second son (an actor who appeared with his father in Rocky V and Daylight) after one of his early pen names, Q. Moonblood. Who knows where the Sage part came from? More herbal influence of a kind though.

Kal-El Coppola born of Nicholas Cage Receding Hollywood actor Nicholas Cage showed himself to be the ultimate comic book geek when he named his son Kal-El, which is Superman’s original birth name. We’re not sure whether the other kids in kindergarten would see the cool side of this before giving young Kal-El a few punches in the stomach, just to see if he could retaliate with his legendary superpowers. ‘He’ll be OK as long as they don’t break out the kryptonite,’ Cage is reported to have said. Yeah thanks dad. Bluebell Madonna born of Geri Halliwell Last but by no means least (certainly in voluptuousness stakes), Geri Halliwell, formerly known as Ginger Spice, who decided to name her own bouncing baby Bluebell Madonna. We’re presuming the second part of the name is an ode to our Madge, a real Queen of Pop. Who knows where Bluebell blossomed from? Frankly, who cares? It’s a dumb name. That’s all you need to know. Frank Zappa Talks About His Kids' Names - Nancy's Baby Names Nancy's Baby Names Baby names galore!

Lists, graphs, stories, trivia, games… Main Menu Frank Zappa Talks About His Kids’ Names In a 1975 interview, Frank Zappa talked a bit about his kids’ unorthodox names: Cohen: Is one of your children named Moon Unit? Zappa: Yep. Cohen: What are your other children’s names? Zappa: Dweezil and Ahmet. Cohen: Is Moon Unit the oldest? Zappa: Yep. Cohen: What do you call her around the house? Zappa: I call her Moon and I call Dweezil ‘Dweezil’ and I call Ahmet ‘Ahmet.’ Cohen: I’m wondering what psychological effects a name can have. Zappa: Well, first of all, I knew that they were going to be unique anyway because of certain other attributes, so why not have a name that goes with it. They all like their names and the kids at school do too. They don’t make fun of them; in fact, most of them are jealous of their names. You know, it always amazes me when someone who is in my age group, or even younger, asks me a question like why did you name your children that.

It’s a reactionary kind of question. Why the f*ck not name your kids something like that? They’re having a good time. Besides that, if they ever wanted to change their names they can do it. It only costs about $15. Cohen: You can’t tell from the name Moon Unit whether it’s a boy or a girl. Had Moon Unit been a boy, would you have named him the same thing? Zappa: No, I would have named him Motor Head. Frank’s fourth child, Diva , was born in 1979. Source: Cohen, Scott. “ Frank Zappa: Outraged Consumer .” Circus Raves, Dec. 1975: 3. (via afka.net ) Share this post! After Saint West, the weirdest celebrity baby names | Daily Star FEELING FRUITY: The Apple doesn't fall far from the tree Of course, we couldn't start this list without Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow's daughter.

The former couple were blasted for naming their kid after a fruit, but Gwynnie didn't care, explaining: "It sounded so sweet and it conjured such a lovely picture for me – you know, apples are so sweet and they're wholesome and it's biblical – and I just thought it sounded so lovely and clean!" All the prerequisites for a good moniker. KAL EL GETTY SUPERHUMAN: Apparently Nicolas is a big Superman fan Nicolas Cage is known for being rather, er, quirky, so we shouldn't have been too surprised with the name he gave his son. Cage and third wife Alice Kim welcomed a baby boy in 2005, and named him Kal-El – which, comic book fans will know, is Superman's real name. Bit more original than Clark Kent, we guess. MOON UNIT GETTY OUT OF THIS WORLD: Frank called his eldest daughter Moon Unit Frank Zappa is a legendary musician, even receiving a posthumous Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award – but his legacy is improved by his kids' quite frankly phenomenal names. Frank's eldest daughter is called Moon Unit, while her siblings are called Dweezil, Ahmet and Diva Muffin. It's like living in a cartoon.

PILOT INSPEKTOR FLYING HIGH: Why the weird spelling of Inspektor, though? Actor Jason Lee chose to name his first son after a song – nothing weird there. Unfortunately, the song was Grandaddy's He's Simple, He's Dumb, He's The Pilot, resulting in the tot being called Pilot Inspektor. Jason's other kids got off a bit more lightly, being given the names Casper and Sonny. JERMAJESTY BIZARRE: Well, the Jacksons are pop royalty Many fathers like to call their sons after themselves, but this is ridiculous. Jermaine Jackson called one of his kids Jermaine Jackson Jr, but then realised he couldn't use that again – so called another son Jermajesty. Still, he's a Jackson, so he can get away with it. MOXIE CRIMEFIGHTER GETTY JOKE: Penn gave Moxie a bizarre middle name because "middle names are stupid" Magician Penn Jillette's wife doesn't have a middle name, so when choosing their daughter's moniker, they decided to get creative, resulting in the name Moxie Crimefighter.

Penn said of the bizarre choice: "I think it’s pretty cruel to give a kid a name that others are going to have. I think it’s very important to have a unique name within any group you’re likely to be in." Well, no danger of that happening to Moxie. 13 of the strangest celeb baby names Tuesday, 8th December 2015 Here are the strangest names celebrities have given their children. From North West, to Tu Morrow, see the weird list here. 1 / 13 GC Images Kim Kardashian and Kanye West have named their first son Saint West, their daughter is called North West Related articles Am I Right - Weird Names of Music Performer's Children -> M Elvis Costello I know that none of these three names are weird or unusual at all, in any way. In fact, they are all extremely normal, common names that I'm sure you all hear practically every day. But Elvis Costello is my favorite musical artist of all time, which is why I love posting about him here at AmIRight.

He has twin sons, Dexter and Frank, who are currently eight years old, born in 2006, with his current wife who is none other than the great jazz singer and pianist Diana Krall. He also has a much older son named Matthew from his first marriage to Mary Burgoyne. After his marriage to Mary ended in the mid-1980s and before he married Diana in 2003, Elvis was married to Cait O'Riordan, who had been the bassist for The Pogues, and they were married from 1986 until they split in 2002, but Elvis and Cait did not have any children together. T.I. Get it right. T.I. has four children King, Messiah, Deyja, and Domani. Listen to his song "Live in the Sky". He says all their names! Messiah Ya'majesty and Domani Uriah T.I. (Clifford Harris Jr.) Just correcting something I read. These are his two boys. If you need proof, read the press sheet. It's from his first cd "I'm Serious".

He mentioned he had a daughter in his second cd "Trap Musik", but he never did say her name. Regardless, I think their names are unique and cute since he considers himself a king. It's only right for his kids' names to reflect how he sees them also. Messiah Ya'Majesty Harris and Domani Uriah Harris Atlanta rapper T.I. Oddly enough, I'm actually diggin' the name Ya'Majesty... and because of that, I should probably be sterilized. Girl With Two Middle Names Messiah YaMajesty Harris and Domani Uriah Harris T.I. (Clifford Harris Jr.) These are 2 different names and they are both boys. YaMajesty is Messiah's middle name. His little girl is named Deyjah and other little boy is named King. He has 3 boys and one girl!! Frank insisted his kids would always have more trouble because of their last name. Moon Unit, Dweezel, Diva Muffin Frank Zappa You wouldn't guess it by his subject matter, but apparently Frank Zappa abstained from drug use as he was very serious about music and felt that it interfered. He was just a kook!

Moon Unit, Dweezil, Ahmet, Diva Zappa Frank Zappa Frank wasn't on drugs!!!!!!! concerning this names he said: "People make a lot of fuss about my kids having such supposedly 'strange names', but the fact is that no matter what first names I might have given them, it is the last name that is going to get them in trouble." Moon Unit, Dweezil, Diva Muffin

Question: Which pop star called of his children Moon Unit?
Answer: FRANK ZAPPA